Chapter 11

05:50 AM:

Matt:

I woke up just before six am and looked at Judy sleeping. Ana was behind her, and had her arm draped over Judy's side. She was cupping Judy's left breast and gently massaging it in her sleep. With a smile I leaned down and kissed both of them gently on their noses until they woke up. Slipping out of bed, I saw Cyclone and Henrietta waiting for me.

I petted them, and started to lead them out of the room when Henrietta jumped up on the bed and lay down beside Judy. She placed her head right besides her chest, and Judy draped her arm over her and cuddled into her. "Looks like we've been abandoned," I said to Cyclone, and I grabbed some running shorts, socks, T-shirt and my shoes. Going into the bathroom, I stripped and changed. Pulling out the pistol I had stashed, I slipped the harness on, and picked up my windbreaker.

I walked downstairs, and turned the coffee pots on and then went outdoors with Cyclone on my heels. Resetting the alarm, I started jogging down the path that headed to the lake, three miles away. I was figuring a good run down to the lake and back would be a good start to getting back in shape.

I slipped my sunglasses on, as the sun was just starting up when I started my run. It was cresting the mountains over the Grand Tetons. I started down the path with Cyclone ahead of me. I was keeping an eye out for trouble, but wasn't expecting any. The air was crisp and clean, not what I was used to down in Florida. The birds were waking up, and I spotted a trio of deer heading for the lake. Twenty-three minutes later, I was looking out over the three-mile lake.

Going down to the dock, I opened the gate and walked out to the end of the dock. The fish were starting to jump. I wished I had my fishing gear, but it was still packed up in one of the boxes. The sun burst forth and shined down on the still water as I turned around and started back up the path after I closed the gate.

The run uphill took a little longer. I reached the door just as the grandfather clock started chiming. I was about to open the door, when it was opened and CodieAnn stepped out and handed me a cup of coffee.

Taking the cup, I drank half of it down and sighed, "Thanks, I needed that."

"Welcome, love, go get cleaned up and join us for breakfast. Judy is still sleeping," she said as she took the cup, and handed me a towel.

"Thanks, I will, and I will check on her," I replied and went up to our bedroom.

As I came up the stairs I saw Judy. Clutched in her right hand was the plunger from the bathroom. "Matt, the bathroom won't flush. Can you look at it?" she said.

"Sure, no problem," I said as I smiled at her.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I was startled when she screamed and swung it with all her force. The wooden handle hit me just under the throat and across the upper chest, and I staggered back almost falling down the stairs.

"YOU KILLED HIM. YOU BASTARD!" Judy snarled out and swung again at me.

I caught Judy's wrist as it came in for a second strike and winced as she kicked me in the ankle. Wrapping her in my arms, I held her as she cried out in agony.

"Daddy! Daddy, come hold me. I love you," she screamed out.

I noticed her eyes were clenched close and tears were running down her face as I lowered us to the floor, "shhh baby. I'm so sorry about your dad. He was one of my best friends. You know that. He taught me a lot of things. He was the big brother I never had. You know that..." I murmured in her ear as I rocked her.

I heard running footsteps and looked over my shoulder as the girls came running up the stairs. They stopped when they saw me holding Judy. I felt her nails digging into my skin as she cried. Picking her up, I carried her into our bedroom and laid her down on the super king. With me holding her to my chest, the rest of the girls sat on the bed and gently stroked her where they could touch her.

Judy opened her eyes, and looked up at me and sniffled, "sorry!" she said in a soft whisper.

"Not your fault. You're hurting and you struck out at who you see as responsible. But the real person is out there, and if he shows up here, you will get your revenge. I swear it," I said.

"Thanks," she said and then sniffed and her nose wrinkled up, "You stink!"

I started laughing and replied, "Well, I was on the way to take a shower. Want to join me?"

"Yeah ... I guess so," she replied sadly.

"Love, you don't have to if you don't want to. I won't force you. When you're ready, I will be there for you," I said as I hugged her.

"Thanks," she replied and kissed me on my cheek. I patted her hip, and walked to the dresser for a change of clothes. Picking out what I wanted to wear, I went into the shower as the girls closed in on Judy to comfort her.

The hot water revived me and when I stepped out, Ana was sitting on the toilet waiting for me. I kissed her and then started drying off. "What's up?" I asked.

"Judy, I am worried about her," she replied.

"Love, she will be ok, its survivor's guilt. In a few days, she will be over it," I said as I pulled on my underwear.

"Are you sure? I have seen depression before. My mom had it when her parents were killed in Chechnya. She killed herself two weeks after we buried them. Please, Mathew, get some help for her," Ana begged.

I stood there looking at here for a second, and thought about what she said. "If she needs it, I will get it. But I think all of us can help her more than some shrink with pills," I replied as I finished getting dressed.

"Ok, if you think so, then I will try. So what are the plans today?" she asked as she stood up and kissed me.

"I was going to run into Idaho Falls tonight, and hit the gun store where my order is waiting. Then come back," I replied.

"Ok, who is going with you?" she asked as we walked out of the bathroom.

"I don't know, I thought I would ask to see who wants to go..."

I was interrupted by screaming that came from downstairs.

We ran down stairs and found Minnie staring at the TV. The channel was turned to CNN and a new flash was going across the screen and then the image changed.

"This is Richard Marks with CNN. I am reporting once again that the Enterprise battle group that had been sent to the Indian Ocean to watch over neutral shipping has been hit with a nuclear warhead. The carrier has suffered critical damage as well as the rest of the fleet. It's confirmed that three of the battle groups five escorts have been sunk with heavy loss of life. The guided missile cruisers USS Gettysburg, and the USS Philippine Sea have been crippled as well. The USS Stout, USS Nicholson, and the USS Klakring have been sunk. Casualty count at this time is unknown, but its assumed to be in the thousands.

"The Ronald Regan carrier group is on the way to assist her, and has placed a combat air patrol over the crippled ships. It is unknown at this time who is responsible for the attack or how it was executed. President Marion O'Neil has condemned the attack and has issued a statement that the people who initiated the attack will be brought to justice."

"Oh shit!" I said as the TV changed scenes and showed the carrier burning from bow to stern. Her tower was bent to the side over the water at about thirty degrees. Her flight deck was peeled up and wrecked planes were shattered on the deck. One of the carriers F-18s was hanging over the side upside down. It looked as her vertical stabilizers were keeping her in place. In the distance, the screen showed a cruiser drifting, with a twenty-degree list. Her decks were burnt and blackened from the blast or the fire that was still burning on her. On the other side of the burning cruiser was the upside down hull of another ship.

"Matt, who would do such a thing?" Mary asked as she leaned against her sister CodieAnn.

"I don't know, but I do know there are three countries in the area that are nuclear powers. India, Pakistan and China are the primaries. I don't see India doing it, and Pakistan has nuked India. China, I could see doing it if they could get away with it," I replied as we watched the bow of the overturned ship lift up into the air and then slip under the waves.

By the time they changed the scene, Judy and Mary were in my arms crying. When they stopped crying I said, "Ok everyone, this is the plan. I want all the trailers hooked up to the vehicles. We will leave the RV, and just use the cars. We're heading down to Idaho Falls. I want to stock up on as much supplies as we can and then head back here. I believe it's going to get a lot worse after this. I expect marshal law to be declared and the country declaring war on the people responsible for this attack once its known who did it."

"Ok," CodieAnn said and walked out of the room.

We scattered to get the vehicles ready as well as to get dressed. I pulled one of the boxes with the money out from where we had hidden it and was pulling packets of hundreds out. I grabbed several of the tote bags that used to have some of the guns in it from the drug dealer where we rescued the CodieAnn and her sisters. Stuffing the cash inside, I estimated we had several million in them. Carrying them out to the Hummer, I stuck them in the back seat on the floor. Ana came out with my pistols and I slid one under my seat and slipped the second one in my shoulder holster.

"Thanks, Ana," I said.

"Welcome. What about Judy? Do we let her go armed?" she asked.

"Damn right I am! And I hope those bastards show their faces," Judy said as she walked up carrying her pistol.

"Just be careful on who you shoot," I replied.

"I will. Marybeth says she will stay here with Minnie and organize things. Also the Reeses are in Cheyenne and buying a trailer to load with supplies. They should be here tonight, when we get back. If not, Rod says he and Mary will go into Driggs and get them," Judy said as she slipped her pistol into her purse.

"Sounds good, I need to find out where Sam's Club and Costco's are in Idaho Falls," I said as Rod came over.

"Costco's is in Twin Falls, not Idaho, and Sam's is on 17th street," Rod said as he handed me several sheets of paper.

I took the papers and saw they were directions to the stores plus several others. "Thanks, Uncle Rod. We will be back. Hold the fort down," I said as I opened the door to the Hummer and climbed in.

"We will, and you all be careful, you hear me? It's going to be a madhouse out there now that we have been attacked," he replied as I started up the Hummer.

We pulled out and started towards Idaho Falls an hour and half away. Ana was driving Rod's Suburban and towing the trailer they use to haul wood in. As we headed down the mountain a sign caught my eye. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the house.

Rod picked up and I said, "Rod, can you run down to the local feed store?"

"I can. What do you need?" he replied.

"I want you to get some chicken wire, two by fours, and plywood so we can build some chicken coops," I said as I pulled up beside Judy who waved at me.

"Chickens? We don't have any," he replied.

"I know, but I saw a sign coming down from the mountain that said chickens for sale. I want you to go buy as many as you can. We will need the protein if this goes as bad as I think it will," I said.

"Ok, then I better get some feed as well."

"Yes as much as you can, and get some containers we can store it in to keep it free from bugs," I said.

"I can do that, but what about money?" he asked.

"Have Mary give you some from the stash. There is more than enough," I replied.

"What about a couple of cows? I know where we can get a milk one and a beef one if you want," he said.